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New line of turbans inspired by cancer patients to be launched by Jersey City woman

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A NEW LINE of turbans has been designed by Jersey City’s Gloria Walker. They are available in many materials and all sizes, including those for children. She began the project to help women undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

After years of running an online consignment shop, Jersey City's Gloria Walker decided to dive further into women's fashion.

Her first project? Designing Nafessa Turbans, a line of colorful headwrap-style hat pieces with plenty of glam and style.

But the turbans, the 32-year-old says, aren't just for women who want to stand out, but also for one very special demographic.

"It came to me that I could make turbans for ladies who are going through chemo, so while they're battling cancer, they can still look pretty," said Walker, who is no stranger to philanthropy -- her brother, Jerry Walker, the former Seton Hall and St. Anthony's hoops star, founded children's and community nonprofit Team Walker.

The Walker family, Gloria says, has been greatly affected by cancer.

The disease has been responsible for "maybe about 70 percent" of the deaths in her family, including her grandfather and several aunts and uncles.

Walker also recently lost a close friend, Leslie Clark, to the disease. "While I was working on a turban for her, she passed away," she said. "That just made me more eager to keep pursuing my line and give back."

Nafessa Turbans, which launches this weekend, has a wide variety of designs, including Walker's signature leather turban.

"It's the first one I ever created and it's my favorite. I had never seen a leather turban before, and I wanted to do something that was different," she said, adding that it comes in black, white and red, and can be genuine or faux leather.

"I can make them with leather, sequins, cloth, stretchier materials, everything you can imagine! I just want my turbans to be pretty and glamorous, more jazzed up than the average."

The handmade turbans start at $40, and a portion of each sale goes to the radiology unit of the Cristie Kerr Women's Health Center in Jersey City.

"It makes people feel good that they're buying something really hot and unique as well as helping somebody while they're doing it," said Walker. "It's been getting a great response."

The Nafessa Turbans launch will be held tomorrow, June 7, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Team Walker, 373 Communipaw Ave., Jersey City. A pink turban will be auctioned off to benefit the Cristie Kerr radiology center.